Door latch



Jan. 19, 1932. A. R. LINDSAY DOOR LATCH Filed April 8, 1929 zf k IN VEN TOR.

BY I A TTORNZ:

H3 -IV Patented Jan. 19, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE f ALEXANDER R. LINDSAY, F DETROIT, LEICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE STUDEBAKER CORPORATION, OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY DOOR LATCH Application filed April 8, 1929. Serial No. 353,596.

This invention relates to door latch operating handles and particularly to means permitting the handle to have rotational movement without operating the door latch mechanism to thereby prevent the unauthorized opening of the door of which the latch mecha nism forms a part.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a rotatable latch operating handle having a key-controlled lock mechanism 1ncluded therein, permitting the handle to have limited rotational movement, means being provide to prevent sufficient rotational mo vement of the handle to operate the door latch operating mechanism when the lock mechanism is in a predetermined position.

A further object is to provide a hollow cylinder mounted on a spindle operatively connected with the handle by means of a keycontrolled lock mechanism and adapted to receive a shaft hollow at one end and having an abutment formed thereon engageable With the spindle for operating the door latch mechanism.

A further object is to provide a stop member positioned in a slot in the hollou cyhnder to limit the rotational movement of the cylinder and the latch operating handle.

A further object is to provide a spindle having a door operating handle mounted thereon and rotatable therewith by key-controlled means, the spindle extending into a hollow sieeve rigidly secured to the door opcrating handle, the handle, spindle, and

ineffective position whereby the same will not operate the door latch mechanism.

Figure 2 is a perspective view similar to Figure 1, showing the key-controlled lock mechanism moved to a different position from that shown in Figure 1, and the spindle moved to operative position, permitting the handle to be rotated to operate the door latch.

Figure 3 is a perspective view similar to Figure 2, showing the door latch handle and its associated parts rotated to operate the door latch mechanism.

Figure 4c is an enlarged sectional 'view taken substantially on the line 4-4; of Figure 1, showing particularly the spring for returning the handle to normal in operative position.

Referring in detail to the drawings in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, I have shown for the purpose of illustration a section of a motor vehicle door comprising an edge face member 1 having its front face covered with a sheet metal plate 2. The door latch mechanism 3, a portion only of which is shown, is supported by the rear face 4 of the door structure. 7

The latch mechanism may be of any desired type and is actuated by means of the exterior handle 5 having a shank 6 in which is secured a hollow shell 7 adapted to rotate with a handle 5 and to be inserted through an open ing 8 in the face plate 2. A nut 9 is threadably secured on the shank 6 of the handle 5 and seats against a sleeve 10 forming an e scutcheon plate for holding the handle against longitudinal movement. A latch operating shaft 11 having a squared portion 12 at one end thereof adapted to operate the latch mechanism 3 has at its opposite end a hollow portion 13 in which is formed an abutment 1 1 having a plurality of flat faces at substantially right angles to each other adapted to contact with the flat faces formed on the segment 15 forming a part of the spinblers 19 controlled by the key for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

A sleeve 20 surrounding the outer portion of the spindle 16 and positioned Within the handle has a slot 21 formed therein to receive the tumblers 19 as is shown in Figure 1. The sleeve 20 is provided with a second slot 22 adapted to receive the tumblers 19 as shown in Figure 2 for a purpose to be hereinafter described. A coil spring 28 having one end thereof bent at to be received in the slot 25 formed in the sleeve 7 and having its opposite end bent over at 26 to engage with the plate 27 forming a part of the escutcheon normally maintains the handle in a predetermined position and prevents the rattling and inadvertent movement of the same.

Referring to Figure 1 which shows the handle 5 and the lock mechanism so positioned therein to prevent the unauthorized opening of the door, the handle 5 and the hollow shell 7 may be rotated against the tension of the spring 28, and the spindle 16 will be rotated therewith because the tumblers 19 have been moved into the slot 21 in the sleeve 20 which locks the spindle 16 to the handle 5 whereby tae handle 5, hollow shell 7 and spindle 16 will be rotated in unison. As the segment in the position shown in Figure 1 contacts with the vertical face of tln abutment 14-. the mechanism heretofore described is free to have rotative movement for substantially 180 degrees before the segment 15 will contact with the horizontal face of tl e abutment 14. The rotation of the shell 7 is permitted because of the slot 28 formed therein in which is positioned the stop 29. It will be noted that in Figure 1 the stop 29 engages one end wall of the slot 28 which thus prevents the rotation of the handle 5 and the hollow sleeve 7 in one direction but permits rotation for substantially 180 degrees in the opposite direction.

Referring to Figure 2, the tumblers 19 have been moved into the slot 22 formed in the sleeve and in so doing the spindle 16 has been rotated substantially 180 degrees so that the horizontal faces of the segment 15 and the abutment 14f are brought into contact with each other. In this position, the spindle 16, shell T and handle 5 also rotate in unison but as the segment 15 has'been brought into contact with the abutment 1d the rotation of the handle in one direction will rotate the shaft 11 and through its squared end 12 will operate the latch mechanism 3 to permit the opening of the door.

The spring is placed under tension when the handle 5 is moved from its normal position as shown in either Figures 1 or 2 and upon release of the handle the spring 28 will. return the handle to the position shown.

It will be readily seen that as the stop 29 is inserted in the slot 28 formed in the shell 7 that the shell 7 and the handle 5 are constrained against unlimited rotational movement as the stop 28 determines the amount of rotation which is preferably the amount of rotation required for operating the latch mechanism.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a simple and eflicient means for preventing the unauthorized opening of the door but which can also be utilized for the opening of the door when the key-controlled tumblers are moved to effective position, and while I have shown one embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that formal changes can be made therein without departing from the spirit and substance of my invention, the scope of which is coi'i'nnensurate with the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with a door structure having an opening in the side face thereof, a rotatable latch operating handle, a tubular shell secured to said handle extending through said opening, a spindle having key-controlled locking tumblers positioned therein engageable with said handle rotatably mornted in said shell, and a shaft having a hollow end mounted in shell ongageable with said spindle for operating the door latch mechanism.

In combination with a door structure having an opening in the side face thereof, a rotatable latch operating handle, a tubular shell secured to said handle extending through said opening, a key-controlled spindle having an abutment on the inner end thereof rotatably mounted in said shell, and a shaft having an abutment on its inner end engageable with the abutment on said spindle whereby when said spindle is in a selected position rotation thereof will rotate said shaft to operate the door latch mechanism.

3. In combination. with a door having an opening in the side face thereof, a rotatable latch operating handle, a tubular shell so cured to said handle extending through said opening, a key-controlled spindle provided with a segment having substantially right angled flat faces thereon mounted in said shell. and a shaft provided with a hollow end having an abutment formed with substantially right angled flat faces therein mounted in said shell, the fiat faces on said abutment being adapted to contact with the flat faces on said segment, said handle being permitted to move said flat faces out of contact with each other when said spindle is in one position, and said handle acting to rotate said shaft by the means of said segment and abutment when said spindle is in another position.

4. In combination with a door having an opening in the side face thereof, a rotatable latch operating handle, a tubular shell having a slot formed therein secured to said han dle extending through said opening, a stop positioned in said slot to limit the rotational movement of said shell, 7 a key-controlled spindle rotatably mounted in said shell, a shaft mounted in said shell engageable with said spindle for operating the door latch mechanism, and spring means for returning said handle to normal inoperative position.

5. In combination with a door having an opening in the side face thereof, a rotatable latch operating handle, a tubular shell having a slot formed therein secured to said handle extending through said opening, a stop positioned in said slot to limit the rotational movement of said shell, a spindle mounted in said shell, key-controlled means for securing said spindle to said handle in either of tWo positions, a shaft mounted in said shell engageable with said spindle, the rotation of said spindle when in one of the said named positions rotating said shaft to operate the door latch mechanism, and spring means for returning said handle to normally inoperative position.

6. In combination with a door having an opening in the side face thereof, a rotatable latch operating handle, a tubular shell secured to said handle extending through said opening, a spindle mounted in said shell, keycontrolled means within said spindle for securing said spindle to said handle in two different positions, and a shaft having a hollow end mounted in said shell engageable with said spindle and rotated by said spindle when in one of the said named positions for operating the door latch mechanism.

7. In combination with a door structurehaving an opening in the side face thereof, a rotatable latch operating handle provided with a tubular shell extending through said opening, a spindle having an abutment on the inner end thereof rotatably mounted in said shell, and a latch operating shaft mounted within said shell, said shaft having a hollow end provided with an abutment therein extending over said first abutment to be rotated thereby for cooperating the door latch mechanism.

8. In combination with a door structure having an opening in the side face thereof, a rotatable latch operating handle provided with a tubular shell extending through said opening, a spindle having an abutment on the inner end thereof rotatably mounted in said shell, and a latch operating shaft having a hollow end provided with an abutment therein extending into said shell into engagement with said first abutment whereby rotation of said spindle in one direction Will rotate said shaft to operate the door latch mechanism.

Signed by me at Detroit, Michigan, this 30th day of March, 1929.

ALEXANDER R. LINDSAY. 

